The Hillsdale College Shotgun Team traveled to Sparta, Illinois to compete in the ACUI/SCTP Central Midwest Regional from October 14-16. The team shot against 15 other schools and more than 140 athletes in six disciplines: American Trap, Trap Doubles, American Skeet, Skeet Doubles, Sporting Clays, and Super Sporting. Colleges in attendance included University of Missouri, University of Arkansas, University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, and University of Tennessee Southern.
The Chargers' started the event with a strong showing in Skeet Doubles. Led by freshman Davis Hay, who was the gold medalist with a perfect 50/50 score, the team broke more targets (238/250) than any other school in attendance. Following Hay were sophomore Kyle Fleck (49), who also earned a silver medal after a shootoff, senior Ida Brown (47, second high lady after shootoff), junior Jackson Sokel (47), and freshman Leif Andersen (46).
Trap Doubles was the second discipline Friday and Hillsdale again earned the top spot, breaking 241/250 targets. High scores from the team were from senior Woody Glazer and Brown, both hitting 49/50 and winning first place in the men's and women's categories respectively. Sophomore Josh Corbin and Sokel both broke 48/50 and finished 3rd and 4th after a shootoff. Hay rounded out the squad with 47 targets.
Hillsdale next competed in American Skeet. The Chargers put up big numbers: Glazer (100), Corbin (99), Brown (99), Hay (99), and Sokel (97) broke 494/500 to take the top spot. Glazer and Corbin both won shootoffs to be awarded the gold and bronze respectively while Brown finished women's runner-up.
In Sporting Clays, the Chargers earned the team silver. Led by Corbin with 98/100, the highest score of any individual in attendance, Hillsdale broke 465/500 targets. Filling out the team score was sophomore Gavin Drill (96), sophomore Jonathan Calabrese (91), Glazer (90), and Fleck (90).
The final day of competition started with American Trap. The Chargers posted the program's highest score ever, 498/500, to earn a commanding victory. A trio of chargers tied for the gold individually: Glazer, Hay, and Corbin each broke perfect 100-straights, the only three of the match. Fleck and junior Will Stuart both broke 99 to round out the scores. The rest of the team also performed incredibly well with the lowest score shot being 95 for a team average of 97.75.
The event ended with Super Sporting. Junior Jessie Strasser's 49/50 tied for the highest of the shoot and earned her the high individual women's award. Following her was Corbin (47), Brown (45), Fleck (44), and Glazer (44). The total score of 229 earned them runner-up team.
With a total score of 2165/2250, Hillsdale came up just five targets short of High Overall Team behind reigning DII National Champions Tennessee Southern. They were 157 targets ahead of third place. Josh Corbin and Ida Brown each earned their second regional individual HOA placement with 436/450 in men's and 421/450 in women's respectively. Strasser was third women's HOA (410) while Glazer's 429 was third overall and 423 from Fleck tied him for fourth.
"We continue to put up great numbers in the line games and our trap score was higher than any team shot at the National Championships this past year," said head coach Jordan Hintz. "We performed well both at an individual and team level. Our 12 student-athletes went toe-to-toe with UT Southern's 20. The Chargers will be ready come March."
Most of the team next travels to NSCA Nationals in San Antonio. There will be a few smaller shoots that the team will participate in yet this Fall but they will soon turn their attention fully to the Spring semester.
Results: https://app.sssfonline.com/results/team/836
Written by Jordan Hintz
Photo Courtesy of the Shotgun Sports Team